Cheyenne Council Could Get Rid of Bingo, Pull Tabs Licensing Law

The Cheyenne City Council is considering an ordinance which would get rid of a law requiring businesses to apply for a license to conduct bingo and pull tab games within the city.

"It will take us back to what's state statute," said Councilman Scott Roybal, who's sponsoring the ordinance.

"There's several companies, three companies in town I know of already, that are installing pull tabs into the bars and some of the taverns," added Roybal. "By falling back to what the state statutes are, we don't have to enforce those."

Roybal says repealing the city code -- which requires businesses to pay an annual, non-refundable license fee of $265 -- will also "increase revenue for non-profits that are registered with the distributors."

"Let's say The Albany, for instance, decides to put pull tabs in," said Roybal. "They have to do it through distributors."

"They'll put the machines in, provide the tabs and everything and they also have a 503c charity that they give a percentage of that money to and that's part of the state licensure," he added.

The ordinance will go before the Public Services Committee on September 19 and be on second reading when the council meets on September 25.